In September 2019, we were contacted by Rays of Sunshine to help grant a wish to Ellie (named changed to protect privacy), who wanted to go shopping in central London in a Pink Taxi.
Our Pink Taxi was off the road that day, so we put a message out on Twitter to see if there were any pink taxi owners out there who were willing to help. We received dozens of heart-warming replies from taxi drivers wanting to help “pro bono” and from the general public wanting to donate something.
In the end, we teamed up with pink taxi owner Carlos Oliveira and taxi driver Steve Jones. Carlos wasn’t available that day, but he loaned his taxi to Steve so that we could organise Ellie’s shopping transportation for the day.
Steve gave the taxi a special sprucing up and festooned it with pink ribbons.
Steve collected Ellie and her family at Great Ormond Street Hospital, took them to Selfridges Oxford Street, waited until they were finished shopping, then took everyone back to GOSH.
Ellie didn’t want us to take her photo, so we are honouring her privacy. But driver Steve tells us that there were smiling faces all around and some very happy shoppers at the end of the day.
All of us here at London Black Taxis, taxi owner Carlos Oliveira, and taxi driver Steven Jones were so happy for this opportunity to donate our services to Rays of Sunshine and help make Ellie’s wish come true.
Rays of Sunshine Children’s Charity was formed in 2003 to brighten the lives of children who are living with serious or life-limiting illnesses.
